Social Anxiety Disorder
Social anxiety disorder is a common type of anxiety disorder. A person with social anxiety disorder feels symptoms of anxiety or fear in situations where they may be scrutinized, evaluated, or judged by others, such as speaking in public, meeting new people, dating, being on a job interview, answering a question in class, or having to talk to a cashier in a store.
Social anxiety disorder usually starts during late childhood and may resemble extreme shyness or avoidance of situations or social interactions. It occurs more frequently in females than in males, and this gender difference is more pronounced in adolescents and young adults.
What are the symptoms?
In contrast to everyday nervousness, social anxiety disorder includes fear, anxiety and avoidance that interfere with relationships, daily routines, work, school or other activities. Social anxiety disorder typically begins in the early to mid-teens, though it can sometimes start in younger children or in adults.
Emotional and behavioral symptoms: Fear of situations in which you may be judged negatively, worry about embarrassing or humiliating yourself, intense fear of interacting or talking with strangers, fear that others will notice that you look anxious, fear of physical symptoms that may cause you embarrassment, such as blushing, sweating, trembling or having a shaky voice, avoidance of doing things or speaking to people out of fear of embarrassment, avoidance of situations where you might be the center of attention, anxiety in anticipation of a feared activity or event, Intense fear or anxiety during social situations
For children, anxiety about interacting with adults or peers may be shown by crying, having temper tantrums, clinging to parents or refusing to speak in social situations.
Physical symptoms: Blushing, fast heartbeat, trembling, sweating, upset stomach or nausea, trouble catching your breath, dizziness or light-headedness, feeling that your mind has gone blank and muscle tension.
Avoiding common social situations: Interacting with unfamiliar people or strangers, attending parties or social gatherings, going to work or school, starting conversations, making eye contact, dating, entering a room in which people are already seated and eating in front of others.
How is social anxiety disorder treated?
Social anxiety disorder is generally treated with psychotherapy “talk therapy”, medication, or both.
Psychotherapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is commonly used to treat social anxiety disorder. CBT teaches you different ways of thinking, behaving, and reacting to situations to help you feel less anxious and fearful. CBT also can help you learn and practice social skills, which is very important for treating social anxiety disorder. CBT has been well studied and is the gold standard for psychotherapy.
Exposure therapy is a CBT method that focuses on progressively confronting the fears underlying an anxiety disorder to help you engage in activities you have been avoiding. Exposure therapy is sometimes used along with relaxation exercises. CBT delivered in a group therapy format also can offer unique benefits for social anxiety disorder.
Medication
Health care providers may prescribe medication to treat social anxiety disorder such as Antidepressants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors as well as Beta-blockers and Anti-anxiety medications (benzodiazepines)
Both psychotherapy and medication can take some time to work. Many people try more than one medication before finding the best one for them. A health care provider can work with you to find the best medication, dose, and duration of treatment for you. People with social anxiety disorder usually obtain the best results with a combination of medication and CBT or other psychotherapies.
Support Groups
Many people with social anxiety find support groups helpful. In a group of people who all have social anxiety disorder, you can receive unbiased, honest feedback about how others in the group see you. This way, you can learn that your thoughts about judgment and rejection are not true or are distorted. You also can learn how others with social anxiety disorder approach and overcome the fear of social situations.
Both psychotherapy and medication can take some time to work. A healthy lifestyle also can help combat anxiety. Make sure to get enough sleep and exercise, eat a healthy diet, and turn to family and friends who you trust for support.
References
NIMH » Social Anxiety Disorder: More Than Just Shyness (nih.gov)
Social anxiety disorder (social phobia) - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic